Originating from the Southern belt of India,
This is the tale of pungappa Chetty
A young, astute businessman
Who loved his wife to death
And vowed they would always stay together
She too loved him with an unrivalled passion
Every evening, when he returned home tired
After the day’s toil, served him tasty treats
One day, a peddler with a magical voice and funny eyes
Coaxed her to buy a truckload of fresh delectable dates
When he returned that eve, she greeted him with a hug pot of dates
Her eyes shone with anticipation
He opened the lid but O horror!
Out jumped a battalion of smartly dressed soldiers, instead of the dates
Beat him up black and blue, discarded him to the ground and disappeared
Seething with indignant anger, Pungappa Chetty threw her out, accusing her of black magic
Cursing her fate, how everything changed in one night,
Dragged herself to become a light- bearer in marriage functions
Fate had other plans; a pining and slightly regretful Chetty
Met her in a friend’s function but to him was unrecognizable
As she gave him light, the darkness fled, he felt warm
” Who are you?” He whispered
And she in a sing-song voice narrated her story of woe
Chetty sprang up, touching her feet, begging for apology
Embracing her, he declared his undying love
Promised never to be irascible and irrational ever again
She smiled through her tears, shyly basking in his warmth
And thus ends this tale that silently shares the secret of conjugal bliss;
Trust, togetherness and accepting you were wrong!